The Styles Files
Painting
Years pass and inspiration wanders. I wrote many stories in many settings with countless characters, but that chapter of my creative adventure is passed. Not to say it won't resurface, as inspiration is a fickle beast, unpredictable at the best of times, but for the present my efforts are directed to painting.
I use oil paints in the alla prima style, trying to learn as much as I can from each piece. With no formal instruction, this can be difficult at times. What makes the pieces I like good? What makes the pieces I don't like frustrating? It's a puzzle, one I've enjoyed tackling.
Fernweh will post paintings. Perhaps not on the daily, but often, as each day brings a new painting and a new opportunity for a vision.
Writing
In a Fictional World
The Styles Files are written by a character called Valentine Blackburn. Pen name: Styles Yugen. In her world the stars are a vast playground for corporate interests and human ingenuity. There have been wars, great moments of triumph, and eras of uncertainty. Inspired by such worlds as Titanfall, Halo, Bioshock, Deus Ex, and The Martian Chronicles, there's always something interesting around the corner. She is employed by a special solutions company, which among other things, takes on difficult problems for cash. As a result, Valentine travels much more than an average citizen, giving her the perspective to contrast how people live in a cyberpunk world.
The world is fictional but the characters are played by real people. This doesn't mean that the problems confronted within are meaningless, far from it. By working through fictional scenarios, one can practice difficult skills applicable skills to real life. Interpersonal relationships, personal conflict, or even just learning to take risks, these are all things that are very real. Working through them in a place without consequence takes away enough pressure to grow as a person by taking risks, making mistakes, and having a good time.
In the Real World
Valentine was an opportunity to flex my writing muscles and challenge myself to write in formats I'm unfamiliar with. The length of the Styles Files is restricted to make the most of fewer words, and because of that, I try and keep the topics concise. A difficult proposition at times, given that Styles tackles topics that I, and people in general, struggle with in real life.
When not writing Styles Files, my main creative interests are scifi novels and storytelling. I'm currently working on a second draft of a novel titled Maxim Break, which is foremost a personal project to pull together hanging elements in a universe of my creation; this world is separate from that of the Styles Files, but is a project spanning years and many different collaborators. Countless stories have been told within its boundaries, from scifi pirate romps, to gritty dystopian mysteries. Content in this universe is posted by Nitojec.
Recently, I've created a fantasy world inspired by the likes of The Witcher, The Lord of the Rings, Divinity Original Sin 2, and many others. Content in this universe is posted by The Telmeros Scribe.